Patent Application
20070221608
The present invention relates to plastic containers having handles.
Containers for flowable products, such as liquids and granular products, have been formed of plastic by a variety of methods. For example, plastic containers have been blow molded to provide an integral container body, neck finish and handle. Other plastic containers have been formed with an integral container body and neck finish, and a separate handle attached to the container body and/or finish. Still other plastic containers have been formed by positioning an integral handle and neck finish in a blow mold (for a container body), whereby during blowing of the container body (from a separate preform) the handle and the neck finish become attached to the container body.
In some instances, it may be desirable to form the container body in a blow mold without the handle being present so that the blow mold can be more simple in design, e.g., does not require recesses or pockets to form or hold the handle. It also may be desirable to use a different plastic material for the handle (than for the container body) for reasons such as strength, color, aesthetics or cost. It may further be desirable to provide a handle attached at the neck rather than the body of the container, for ease of pouring and/or one-handed use of the container and handle assembly.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a container and handle assembly is provided which includes a container having a neck, and an attachment, formed separately from the container, and assembled thereto. The attachment includes a handle having an integrally formed attachment ring for embracing the neck and mounting the handle to the container. The attachment ring is split and has ring portions adapted to be separated to fit the ring over the neck and to be secured together to embrace the neck.
In various embodiments, the ring is split at a position overlying the handle. The handle has two overlapping portions, each handle portion being attached to a different one of the ring portions. The ring portions preferably have ends with mating alignment members, such as a sloped projection slidable in a complementary sloped recess. The ring portions are resiliently movable to allow opening and closing of the ring. The overlapping handle portions have interengagement members, such as locking snaps, for holding the ring in a closed position.
Preferably, the split ring has an attachment element for securing a closure or fitment to the container, such as a portion of a thread bead or flange. Also preferably, the split ring is positioned between upper and lower radial neck flanges, which prevent axial movement of the neck ring (with respect to the vertical axis of the container) when the handle is grasped by a user.
In one embodiment, a channel is provided on one ring portion, for receiving a portion of the handle portion attached to the other ring portion when the ring is closed. This also facilitates alignment of the two ring portions.
The container neck and attachment may be made of any plastic material, and it may be made of different plastic materials. For example, the container neck, as well as the entire container, may be made of polyethylene terephthalate, while the finish ring is made of polypropylene. In one embodiment, an integral blow molded and substantially transparent PET beverage container is provided with the attached handle and finish attachment.
In another embodiment, a method is provided of assembling a handle attachment to a neck of a container. The method includes providing a container having a neck, providing an attachment formed separately from the container, the attachment including a handle having an integrally formed attachment ring, the attachment ring being split and having ring portions adapted to be separated. The method further includes opening the ring by separating the ring portions and positioning the open ring over an external surface of the container neck. The method further includes closing the ring by bringing together the ring portions to form a closed ring that embraces the external surface of the neck. Preferably, the handle has overlapping portions with interengagement members on the overlapping portions, and the method further includes connecting the interengagement members on the overlapping portions for securing the attachment to the container neck.
Various embodiments of the invention will be understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG.10 is a sectional view taken along lines 10-10 in
Referring in more detail to the drawings,
Referring now to
The handle 28 includes inner and outer overlapping handle portions 30, 32 each connected to a different one of ring ends 44 and 46 (respectively). These overlapping handle portions 30, 32 are provided at the upper end of the handle, adjacent to the respective ring ends 44, 46. The outer handle portion 32 includes a lower end 34 extending beyond the length of the inner handle portion 30, and forms a gripping portion by which a user grasps the handle 28. The inner surface of gripping portion 34 may include ergonomic features such as ribbed finger recesses 38.
The split ring 26 is substantially cylindrical and has an inner cylindrical surface 25 which, when the ring is in the closed condition (
The split ring 26 has an outer cylindrical surface 27 with an attachment element, such as a thread, bead, flange or some portion thereof for securing a closure or fitment (not shown) to the finish. The present embodiment has an external thread 50 for securing a closure (e.g., cap) to the container neck.
As shown in greater detail in
The ring portions 40, 42 of split ring 26 are held together in a closed condition by interengagement features on the first and second handle portions 30, 32. The interengagement features may be for example locking snaps, such as the two pairs of studs 37a, b, shown here on the outer handle portion 32 which fit within correspondingly shaped holes 35a, b, in the inner handle portion 30. The overlapping handle portions 30, 32 are positionable one above the other in the closed position (see
Referring again to
There has thus been described an embodiment of a container and handle assembly, and a handle and finish attachment for such assembly, that provides various benefits. Forming a combined handle and finish ring attachment separately from the container enables the container to be of a simpler design and permits the use of the standard blow molder. Providing a handle attachable to the container neck, rather than to the container body, facilitates ease of pouring and handling of the container assembly, e.g., one-handed pouring. Also, the handle attachment may be clamped onto the container with conventional packaging assembly equipment. The material used for the container body can be different from the material used for the handle and finish attachment. Desirably, a less expensive material can be chosen for each part to provide a more economical manufacture while still achieving the desired functions. The handle and/or container finish may also be formed of different colors and by different methods than the container body, as desired for a wide range of applications.
A number of modifications and variations will readily suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing description. Directional words such as top, bottom, upper, lower, radial, circumferential, lateral, longitudinal and the like are employed by way of description and not limitation. The invention is intended to embrace all modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
